ROCKTOBER

I know it's been a while since I last posted. No excuses other than conferences, strep throat, and starting a classroom blog which has consumed most of my "blogging time." Wish I could share the amazing things on that blog that my students are doing, however it is password protected to ensure safety for students. So, in our classroom we no longer can say "October" it has officially become ROCKTOBER! We were even illustrating the poem "October" for our poetry binders today and several students had to put an "R" in the front so it said "Roctober!!" I found this quite amusing (and a great use of using phonics!) So with the series starting in 2 days about all I have to say is GO ROCKIES!!!

Technology!

I LOVE this video from TeacherTube!! It makes me laugh out loud!

Question or Comment

Kindergartners are full of stories... and they love to share them. So, one of the things we are continuously working on is what constitutes a "question." So yesterday we had firefighters visiting our classroom, and of course we had the "reminder talk" about asking questions to them and saving our stories or connections for writing time. Well the time came in the presentation for questions from students, and of course one of them raised her hand and shared something... not a question. But, the BEST part was when another one of my students said, "that was a comment." :) The firefighter thought it was great and I was quite amused also. Hey, maybe they are starting to understand the difference between a question and comment after all!

Becoming an American citizen

According to the New York Times, immigration officials have released a new version of the test required to become a U.S. citizen. With my only excuse being history was my least favorite subject in school, I am embarrassed to say I did not get all of the sample questions correct. It caused me to wonder how immigrants fair on this quiz, or probably more revealing: how well do "natural" U.S. citizens know their own country? Test yourself!

Poetry Friday!

In honor of my first participation of Poetry Friday (I have enjoyed reading contributions for some time now), I am posting a poem I wrote earlier this week:

ENOUGH

What is....

good enough,

strong enough,

kind enough,

funny enough,

smart enough,

brave enough,

thin enough,

fast enough,

generous enough,

beautiful enough,

fair enough,

brave enough.

Who decides

when enough is...

ENOUGH??

Longs Peak

Yesterday, a group of us set out to climb Longs Peak (14,255 feet). Getting up at 3:00a.m. to avoid crowds at the trailhead, I did question my judgement. However, I had been looking forward to it all week and knew if I backed out I would be very disappointed. We drove up to the trailhead just as the sun was coming up, and for the first time I wondered if I had gotten myself in over my head (of course would never show this though!!). Here I am, barely adjusted to the altitude, never having climbed a "fourteener," with a group of guys who climb almost every weekend! I didn't let this discourage me though. I just did what I do in most areas of my life- remembered why I was there, and reminded myself to enjoy the experience.

As we put on our backpacks and hit the trail, I felt the same way as when I used to take my black lab for a run. SLOW DOWN!!! The only difference being I knew these guys would not wear out the same way Ellie eventually does. Of course, the first thing I did was think "Oh my gosh, I am so out of shape..." but in reality it is just that I am not in the kind of shape these guys are in! Within the first half-mile I realized I better quit trying to keep their pace if I actually wanted to summit. I decided I would much rather go at my pace, enjoy the experience and reach the top in my own time (while they napped in the car at the bottom)! Once the competitive side of my came to terms with not being "out front," I relaxed and enjoyed things much more. The sound of the rushing creek, the sight of the sun rising, and the amazing views above tree-line kept me company until it started to rain and sleet. Eventually meeting up with the group and passing many climbers who had turned around, we realized the weather would prevent us from continuing to the summit. So, at the halfway point (about 4 miles) we turned around. Disappointing yes, but a great reminder that we will never know the storms that may come our way in the future. Enjoying the experience of life is far more important then reaching every goal we strive for (and this is coming from a perfectionist!!) And most importantly, one setback does not mean we will never get there... hey, that's what next weekend is for!

Jerry Spinelli

Wow! I was able to hear Jerry Spinelli on Saturday afternoon! Even though his books are for are not for Kindergartners, he is an author I try to follow. His work is inspiring, thoughtful, and very entertaining. I loved seeing so many young people had come to hear him speak and get a signed book. He had two pieces of advice for writers:
1. write what you care about- if it is something that interests you and you are passionate about then it will connect with readers
2. write, write, write!!

I will be sharing this advice with my kindergartners on Monday (along with the book he autographed for them!)

Just Another Amazing Day in Kindergarten!

Every year I continue to be amazed by what young children can learn if they are exposed to something, excited about it, and free from "academic pressure." A few examples from our classroom today...

During our "Newsbook" I had written the following "_____ saw a bee outside on the playground. Buzz, buzz, buzz!" After reading it together as a class, a student raised his hand and said, "I'm wondering why you made that B (letter) big and the other ones little." He was referring to the "Buzz, buzz, buzz!" It took me a second to realize what he was actually asking, then I was SO excited.... I mean how many "authentic invites" do you get to explain why the first letter of a sentence is capitalized! :) Of course I also had to play-up the great thinking he was doing since I am always reminding my students that is what we are supposed to be doing at school (and other places as well)!

Then during writing workshop another student came up to me and said, "I used one of those dots that means to stop reading." Being only two weeks into the kindergarten year I think I had casually mentioned what a period means maybe once or twice this year. No, he didn't use the correct punctuation name, but he knew what it was and why he was using it.... WOW!

Finally, as we are beginning our inquiry unit into bees we talked and drew about our schema for bees. Then we brainstormed some things we wonder about bees. Hearing things like, "How do they transport the pollen," and "How do they find shelter if they are far away from their hives and it starts to rain or snow?" reminded me of the natural curiosity and wonder of children. As teachers I believe it is SO essential to help them keep this as they get older. Without it, they lose an important piece of their authentic selves.

A Good Laugh

If you need a laugh or an alternate birth control method just check out this actual item/story from e-bay.

Problem-solving

A great example of why I teach kids to THINK, and be problem-solvers! (even if it is exaggerated, it's pretty funny!)

What guides you?

Since I moved out here there have been a few times, while driving, that I have gotten majorly lost. Now, when I say 'major' I mean that I had absolutely NO idea where I am. No familiar looking streets, stores, houses, etc. You may wonder how this could happen, but that is another post :) So in these times that I have become majorly lost, my typical reaction is to just continue driving, turning, etc. until I find something familiar to help reorient myself. As I continue to maneuver my way around unknown territory I usually begin desperately looking for the mountains. They are my guarantee, my relief, and my direction. Once I find them, no matter how lost I am, I can regain some sense of direction.



As the school year is now getting into full swing, and as our school calendars quickly fill up with meetings, writing newsletters, learning new curriculum, etc. it is easy to become lost among the distractions. Distractions from why we are in education: the kids. Just as when I am lost among side streets and the mountains help me regain a sense of direction, when I keep my focus on the students I remember why I became a teacher (no, not the committees!) and know exactly where to go!

"Experts"

So yesterday in kindergarten we talked about being experts. (thanks to Starting With Comprehension by Andie Cunningham) I wondered how this would go over, and if they would have as much trouble deciding what they are experts on as I did (my adult mind got in the way!) I should have known better. Most of them knew immediately what they were "experts" at. And unsurprisingly they were very accurate (from what I know about them so far!). Here are a some from the list....
- going down the swimming pool slides
- giving things away
- racing
- riding horses
- rainbows
- waling dogs
- thinking
- swimming
- riding bikes
- gymnastics
- playing
- 2 wheeling
- outside
- Broncos/football
- mustangs
- worlds

Then we broke out the watercolors (big excitement!) and they each painted what they are "expert" at. These were quite amazing also. I will try to take some pictures and post a few. Now, you may be wondering "why" we spent time having this expert discussion and painting. And of course with the way my mind works there are many reasons...
1. it was a major self-confidence builder (which is crucial at this point in the K year)
2. it gave me insight into their interests and how well they know themselves

And of course the big "academic" reasons behind it-
3. it provides us with a "go-to" person for background knowledge on different subject matters (since I will be weaving this information into the things we study/inquire about this year)
4. we will use their schema for these different topics to help us understand and explore new ideas.
5. it will likely be their most loved topic for reading and writing.
6. high motivation factor

Of course none of these things fit nicely into lesson plan box, but welcome to my world of teaching!

When I fist asked the students what they thought an expert was, I was wowed when one of my students said "it's someone who's really good at something." I did broaden it up a bit to say it is also someone who is really interested in something and loves find out all about it through reading, talking, watching, etc.

So, I leave you with the same question I asked my 5 and 6 year-olds. What are you an expert at?

Thoughts from Esme

This past weekend I reread Educating Esme Diary of a Teacher's First Year by Esme Raji Codell. I love this book because it inspires me to stand up for what I believe is best for kids and education. And it makes me laugh out loud! Here are some of my favorite lines:

- "Certain people just think it's their job to freak out. As long as they're freaking out, they feel busy, like they must be doing work. Getting upset is force, but no motion. Unless we are moving the children forward, we aren't doing any work. Mr. Turner gets mad when I say, "I don't work for you, I work for the children." But it's true. Isn't it?" (pg. 53)

- "This week the kids have been reading for forty-minute stretches, so intently, I could hear my own breathing. It was eerie. A teacher popped in for something and saw this. "My God," she said. "So quiet and involved! Must be the weather." But it's not the weather. I've worked so hard to get them to this place, harder than I've ever worked in my life, and now it seems they have arrived. I want to take credit for getting them there, and they can have the credit for being there. We worked together to achieve this, it's hard to explain, except that it's not the weather or the boy-girl ratio or luck or an other such bullshit. It's that I try and they're trying and that's the bottom line." (pg. 83)

-"So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning. The only other job with so much sharing is parenting. That's probably why the two are so often confused. You can't test what sort of teacher someone will be, because testing what someone knows isn't the same as what someone is able to share. This will be different for every teacher. " (pg. 140)

-"For the rest of the day I was glad I listened instead of yelled, but I still burned with shame at the thought of what I almost said and at all the occasions I have spoken harshly." (pg. 148)

- Ismene once told me, "The difference between a beginning teacher and an experienced one is that the beginning teacher asks, "How am I doing?" and the experienced teacher asks, "How are the children doing?" (pg. 191)

- And the best for last.....

HOW TO TEACH LEARNING (pg. 140)

Sing it
Send it in an envelope
Twist it under a bottle cap
"You Are a Winner!"
Tie it to the leg or a carrier pigeon
and let it soar
Hoard it greedily, with your back turned
Then share it with a magnanimous grin
and glittering eyes
Make it a surprise,
shining like a quarter
under a pillow
Whisper it,
Like the tow of summer's breath
through the willow
or
hide it
just between the tart skin and sweet flesh
of an apple
Make it
Forbidden
Make it
Delicious
Then
Bite

Instead...

So Far....The War In Iraq Costs
$455,334,676,389

Instead, we could have paid for
60,309,228
children to attend a year of Head Start.

More info at National Priorities Project

My Favorite Things About Colorado.... so far :)

1. Watching the sunset behind the mountains.
2. The AMAZING staff I work with!
3. NO humidity!
4. Sunflower Market- a totally organic grocery store with very inexpensive produce!
5. The Tattered Cover- who knew Barnes & Noble could have such competition!
6. The HUGE classroom I get to teach in.
7. The running/biking trail right out my back door.
8. People's reaction when they find out I moved out here and knew NO one! (and how welcoming they are!)
9. The school day starts at 9:06.
10. The talented LPS community- WOW!
11. The afternoon thunderstorms.
12. University, Colorado, Broadway, Dry Creek, Quebec, and the other major streets I eventually find when I am taking a "scenic route." (a.k.a.- lost)
13. My front porch- a place to sit, think, write, read, talk, and watch the sunset!
14. Lodo' s Bar and Grill- a great place to relax with friends, especially if it is upstairs with the mountain view!

This I Believe

Something I wrote a while back for NPR's weekly "This I Believe" segment.

This I Believe...

I believe life is a story waiting to be read by ourselves and others.

As a Kindergarten teacher, my day is filled with children bursting to tell me their stories; robins they saw that morning, plans for a birthday party three months away, or how much they miss their dad who moved out last weakened.

Children pay attention to the stories that surround them and read them with delight. Rarely do they just skim through, only to miss important details. Yet, as the years unfold, people often go silent and some even try to erase parts of their own story. However, with pages missing a book is incomplete.

I believe each word, sentence, and chapter is written through everyday events; coffee with friends, a walk through the park, or losing a job. All weave together to create a life story. Some incidents may seem trivial or random, but no chapter can be fully understood without each page.

I believe in my own story. The story of a little girl who grew up hating herself, never believing she was “good enough,” and always feeling out of place. The story of a young woman who’s pursuit of feeling worthy spiraled her into anorexia nervosa and near death. I believe in finding a will to live and in helping other people. I believe in love, hope, and recovery.

At times, one’s story may be difficult to understand. We may need to reread or rely on others to help us comprehend. Still, if we don’t pause long enough to read our own stories and those of others, we miss the adventure, mystery, and love each one has to offer.

I believe no one else can live another person’s story; yet through reading each other’s we have a better understanding of our own. Each story is unique, with the content unknown by glancing at the cover alone.

I believe coincidences are the Author’s way of telling us we are on the right page... and to keep reading.

I believe each day is a new page waiting to be written. Each sunset reminding us tomorrow is a clean sheet of paper.

I believe the Author has given us the pen to life and that the ink will not run dry until our story is complete.

Stop and take a sniff

As I was running this morning, I saw a woman who was on a leisurely stroll with her dog. It was amusing to watch her "walk" this dog, because every few steps the dog would meander over to the side of the trail and begin ferociously sniffing, which of course impeded her walk. However, the best part of this observation was that instead of quickly trying to pull the dog back onto the trail or scold him for slowing her down, she just stopped. Now I don't mean a one second take a half sniff and then YANK back onto the trail. No, she stopped, stood, waited, and when the dog was ready they continued onward. This got me thinking (hey, something has to distract me from my huffing and puffing) how often do we do this with our children? Just stop completely wherever they are at, and enjoy the moment with them, rather than trying to immediately "pull them back onto the trail." I hope that with the children I teach, and someday my own, that I am never in too big of a hurry or too busy to stop with them and share in those "off-trail" moments.

Induction Day

So, today was induction day for new teachers and veteran teachers new to the district. An information packed day but also SO welcoming and supportive of the newbies. In the morning session we heard an outstanding speaker/author, Mark Sanborn. He wrote Fred Factor and most recently You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader. As he spoke, I found myself writing down many of his quotes and ideas. Although, I rarely reference these notes later on I find that the act of writing helps them become somewhat ingrained into my mental filing cabinet. But, tonight it occurred to me I could post a few here for my faithful readers (mom!). So here are a few thoughts from Mark Sanborn, direct quotes are noted....

-"If someone is following you because of your title you're not leading. you're manipulating."
-"Words are the software of the mind."
- Can I give a few extra seconds or minutes to enrich someones experience?
-"We are so worried about our kids being good we often forget to invite them to be great."
-"You can't give what you don't have." (self-mastery)
-"Ideas that don't serve others are worthless."
- Everything you do either "promotes or pollutes."
- Don't just take action, take responsibility.
-"Leaders take responsibility for problems they didn't create."
-"When you value people you add value to them."
-"It's not about activity, it's about accomplishment."
-"We live in the age of transactions and interactions rather than relationships." (sad but true)
-"We live larger when we live outside ourselves."
-"Beliefs are what you hold, convictions are what hold you."

As I wrote some of the above quotes I am reminded of another influential person in my life/career, Jill Eggleton. One of the many things she said that has always stuck with me is to "do what you believe, and believe in what you do." That quote alone has seen me through some tough times, and help my teaching focus remain on what is most important- the kids!!

One of the other thought provoking parts of the day was Karl Fischer's presentation of Did You Know? I love how throughout the day we kept hearing "this is the start conversations for you to think about and have with colleagues." It is definitely more empowering to hear someone say, "Let's talk about this some more, and I value your input" rather than "This is how it is." A very important thing to remember for the classroom with students.

Watch Did You Know? on YouTube

Yeah for Math!

Today I spent the day being trained in Everyday Math, which is the math curriculum used district wide. It is not often that I am impressed by any "program" or curriculum and would say it "has it all," but WOW, I do believe I am sold on this one! It stresses everything from balanced assessment (not too common these days), to building on student knowledge/interest, differentiation, and involves practice through games (that are actually fun and the teacher does not have to spend hours making!). It was created through research of how children naturally learn and internalize math concepts. NO MORE rote memorization of procedures given by the teacher or textbook. Kids actually learn the "why" and "how" behind mathematical concepts. Amazing! I certainly wish I would have learned the algorithms we discussed today when I was in school! So all this raving and I haven't even told you my favorite part... EXPOSURE! The EDM philosophy is that students are exposed to, and "play" with math concepts and ideas for 2 years before they are officially taught and expected to be mastered. No more "one-taught" wonders! As a kindergarten teacher this definitely excites me and certainly aligns with the way I teach. We already know this about reading ( the importance/exposure to read-alouds is vital to later reading success) so of course the same is true for mathematics.

Chatfield Reservoir

Well, I decided to continue my exploring today by heading to the nearby Chatfield Reservoir. After paying my entrance fee at the park, I decided to go for a long run. Since it was nearing midday and the heat was on, I figured I could handle about 7 or 8 miles, trying to stay on the shaded parts, and walking if I became too hot. I could not seem to find a map that had mile markers or clear distances on it so I just set out on my way. The scenery was great, lots of boats and without the South Dakota humidity that I am used to the heat really didn't seem too bad, until.... I was about 1/3 the way around the reservoir and still feeling good, so I decided to go what I figured was about halfway, where I saw a great overlook. As I stopped to admire the mountain view, I decided I would rather just keep going around the rest of the reservoir than turn around and run the same way back. Well, this would have been great except for:
1. I don't think it was really the half-way point- I had a lot farther to go than I realized.
2. The trails here are not like SD where there is a water fountain every couple miles.
3. The stretch ahead of me was treeless and high above the water so the 90 degree sun was beating down on me.
Continuing on I had a panic moment as I realized I didn't know where (or if) the trail crossed back over the Platte River. (Note to self: check things like this BEFORE running all the way around) As I stood there saying a mercy prayer I noticed another runner coming at me up ahead (one of the few I had seen that afternoon). I flagged her down and we chatted a minute. I was SO relieved to hear the trail did cut across the river, which prevented my nightmare of having to go all the way back around at the 3/4 point. She also shared one of her fruit bars with me and gave me a little cash for some H20 at the boat marina up ahead. I don't know her name, but I do know she was an angel in disguise! Bless you! As I stood there with her feeling quite embarrassed about how unprepared I was the only thing I could really say for myself was "I'm new here!" :) Well, I eventually made it back to my car, and am now resting comfortably and trying to rehydrate! I learned many important things today, one being it is MUCH more fun to get lost in your car than on foot!!

I later realized it is about 14 miles around the complete reservoir. A great long run if your prepared, but not exactly what I had in mind for today. :)

Telling Their Stories

I just read a great article at NYT. It speaks to the power of writing and using our own story to propel us into a brighter future. This article especially caught my eye because it involved helping lower-income students write outstanding college essays. As was pointed out in the article, many of these students have not had parents who attended college, therefore they need this kind of writing support to help them achieve their own dream of college. Bravo to the volunteers who are inspiring and helping these students tell their story!

Weekend!

The Weekend is Here! Have some fun and be inspired by Quote a Day!

Adjustments

The other morning, as I was running along the trail, just steps away from my front door, it occureed to me how often we must make adjustments or risk setbacks. As I was huffing and puffing along the trail wondering why running seemed much more difficult out here, I reminded myself (again) that the air is thinner and my body needs to adjust to the altitude difference. But, of course the competative/obsessive/whatever you want to call it -side of me, insisted that I was just not working hard enough. After a strenusous internal battle I "allowed" myself to ease into a very slow jog.... adjusting to meet my needs in this new environment. I could not help but think how often this happens in my classroom at school. I enter into each day with great expectations, but often need to slow down, shift gears, and adjust to meet student needs in the classroom environment. Sometimes the whole class, other times just one student. Regardless, if I don't adjust my plan to the student/class needs it will certainly result in disaster (similar to keeling over on the side of the running trail!). It was also important for me to realize I did not throw out the ultimate goal- just adjusted it for the time being.

I Live Here!

Well, after picking up my life and transplanting it 4 states away (in a matter of 10 days!) I am finally starting to feel somewhat "settled." One of my hopes upon moving out here was to begin a blog. I currently have a few favorites that I read regularly, and since I enjoy thinking and writing, I thought it would be a fun way to stay connected to people via the internet. (Hint: please comment on entries!) I'm not really sure if anyone but my mom will read this, but my "potential" cyber-audience adds some purpose to thoughts flitting through my mind! So, off I go... every morning when I walk out and look at the beautiful mountains I have the pleasure of reminding myself "No, I am not on vacation.... I live here!"